Pain And Love Come With A Price
by ThAt-DaM-fAnFiCtIoNeR
Summary: Ella pretty much hated her life from the beginning. Now that wasn't to say she didn't enjoy some things in life. But, there were very few things that ever made her feel happy. This is the story of the a young girl who is trying to figure out her mixed up life. AH story. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone. So as some of you know I have put my other story on hold and well the story just isn't clicking with me anymore but this idea in this story really is clicking and I put a lot of work into this story so I hope you like it :) (::)**

**Disclaimer- Um wait did some of you really think I was Rick?! OMG! Yippe! Wait a minute you guys thought I was a middle aged guy? Ewwwwwwwww! Nevermind -shudder- Just read the story...**

Ella Olympia is a thirteen year-old teenager who had a serious case of abuse and heartbreak in her life. And, this is her life story...

******~~~~~~~Short Back story~~~~~~~**

Ella pretty much hated her life from the beginning.

Now that wasn't to say she didn't enjoy some things in life. But, there were very few things that ever made her feel happy.

Her life started in August when she was born to her mother, Hannah and her Father. Whatever his name was. Her mom had never told her what his name was. That irritated her but who was she going to tell?

Her mother had died when she was eight and now she lived with an abusive step-dad, Joe. Oh and if she brought up her mom or her dad up to him the beatings would just increase.

Long story short she didn't talk much about her family. No matter how much she desperately craved answers about her past she never would ask. If someone told her that was just fine but she would not spark up that conversation.

Ella now lived in a trashy apartment with her step-dad, not even going to school anymore. She learned to live this trashy life always crying herself to sleep.

Sometimes all Ella wanted to do was scream. Scream until her lungs collapsed. If only it were that easy. Most likely she wouldn't get the privilege of dying with dignity. She knew that she would probably die at the hands of her step-father. She knew this, bitterly.

**~~~~~~~Present time~~~~~~~**

Ella yawned tiredly as she stretched standing up from her bed. She went over to her small tub of clothes and picked out a crop top, A pair of faded jeans, and a dark blue hoodie. She had learned to wear clothing that covered her up all of her painful scars and wounds.

She slipped her clothing on then sat back down in her bed with a sigh. The only thing she ever thanked Joe for was not sexually abusing her. but, That sure didn't stop his fist.

Her eyes then caught the sight of a picture on a pile of books next to her bed. She curiously picked up the framed photo that she never noticed.

The picture had a tall man who had very tan skin, was muscular, and had a Hawaiian shirt on. He also had eyes that matched Ella's perfectly. The man was also holding a small baby and smiling down at it. The baby looked so familiar. "Duh" "Its me" She thought silently.

But who on earth was the man? Ella continued staring at the picture confused. It finally hit her like a ton of bricks. It was her real dad. A tear almost slid down her cheek as she thought about it. She never liked to talk about him anyways. It wasn't that she hated him so much she couldn't bear to say his name but she just never knew him and she wanted to. Badly.

Her thoughts and emotions were interrupted by her door flinging open. She quickly hid the picture and looked up to meet the steely, cold, brown eyes of her step-father.

Ella flinched slightly and looked down. Her eyes widened as her chin was forcefully made to look up at him by his meaty hand.

"What do you think you're doing? Go make some food!" He spat and slapped her hard and left the room grumbling. She bit her lip as she stood up and rubbed her now sore cheek.

That was another reason she like not going to school. That way no one would see all her scars and flaws. They were all of course by that jerk Joe.

She bit back her anger and went to the kitchen and started on some eggs. She turned on the heat and began to cook the one egg. She didn't have to worry if that was enough for both of them to eat. She wouldn't be eating. She was rarely ever allowed to eat. Well that explained her anorexic body.

She sighed and plated the eggs and put them on Joe's pile of crap which he called a table. She turned and bit back a gasp as Joe stood inches away from her. He glared at her and grabbed her wrist tightly and slung her almost weightless body at the wall. Her body landed on the wall with a sickening crack. She yelped and closed her eyes.

But He wasn't done. Joe stood over her now kicking her sides hard along with slapping her. She opened her eyes as her vision swarmed with black dots everywhere.

He finally stopped and smirked at her and forcefully made her stand up. He glared at her as she met his eyes painfully. "Go to your room!" He spat angrily pushing her slightly.

She winced as she stumbled off to her room. She breathed quickly as she shut her door then went to the bathroom that was connected to her own room. She sighed before lifting her shirt up to check where it hurt the most. She almost puked when she saw a sickly purple color flooding her ribcage area.

She bit her lip as she let her hoodie drop so it covered her chest again. She gulped slightly and walked to her window while biting her lip to keep from screaming out in pain.

She nearly fell over in surprise as suddenly she heard loud sirens outside. She opened her door slightly and saw the front door being busted down and cops flooding in the house and handcuffed a startled Joe. "Your drug business has been shut down Joe Coggan." A cop growled at him.

She only stood and stared wide-eyed. She opened her door more as she heard the police yell out "Is anyone else in here?".

One cop spotted her and then all the attention was brought over to the thirteen year-old as Joe was ushered out of the house.

She winced as so many people asked if she was okay and if she was alright. She just shook her head as if in a daze. That was the last thing she remembered before being taken out of the house herself and being put in a different cop car.

**~~~~~~~A couple hours later~~~~~~~**

Ella remembered waking up in a chair in a big office. No dought she had probably passed out in the cop car. She looked around the office and saw about five cops talked to someone who she couldn't see clearly. The reason being she didn't have the best eyesight but did Joe ever care to go see about her eyes? No.

She looked around the room more and saw the room was mostly white with dark black chairs along with the one she was sitting in about fifteen feet away from the cops and mystery man. Yeah, that was how big this room kept quite and listened to the cops silently.

"She will now be in your full custody" One cop confirmed to the man. The man nodded "So when can she go home?" The man said home as if it was a new word to him. "When she goes down to the clinic down the hall. The doctor wanted to check her to see if abuse took place." Another cop answered. "We'll leave you two alone for a moment." A female officer stated gently.

Ella could tell that they were talking about her but who was the man? And why would he get custody of her? Were they going to see all her scars and bruises? These questions overwhelmed her mind.

She watched the man as he came closer to her. She could now see his face and eyes. His eyes. Sea green clashed with sea green. Ella knew in a flash who this man was. It was the man in the picture. It was her father.

**I really wanted to stop there but I want my goal to be two thousand or more words each chapter. And btw the reason Joe gets arrested is because of drugs not anything else. Well here we go...**

The man didn't come too close to her but she could now see him clearly. For a while it was just the sound of the cops boots clacking on the tile floor as all five trickled out of the room and left man and girl alone.

Ella shifted nervously in the black chair. She looked up at him meeting his eyes.

"Hello." He stated stepping closer to her. "Hi." She said quickly looking away only slightly. "I'm-" He started "I know who you are." She said quickly interrupting him. "Sorry" She flinched looking down. The man didn't seem to get mad at her only curious. "How?" He asked her after a minute of silent.

She was embaressed but told him anyways "I saw a picture and guessed." She said looking back up at the man. "I don't know your name or anything just who you are" She said akwardly.

"Poseidon." He said after another moment of silence. It took her a moment to figure out he was telling her his name.

"Ella.'' She said accepting his hand that he held out to her. She figured he already knew her name but whatever.

She stood up akwardly and shuffled her hands inside of her pocket nervously. "Look, I know I haven't been there for you and i'm sorry but maybe we could start over okay?" He said gently. "Okay" Ella stated simply while nodding.

They both then started to walk towards the door. Ella trailed slightly behind him. He opened the door and both of them stepped out into the busy hallway.

She looked around as they walked down the long hallway. Less and less people were in the hallway as they made their way to the room the officer told them.

They finally walked into a smaller room which basically looked like a doctors office room. She took in a sharp intake as a woman in a white lab coat turned and smiled cheerfully at her. "Hello!" She said loudly. Way to perky. Ella didn't say anything but Poseidon said "Hi." As they walked into the small room.

The woman smiled once more and grabbed Ella's arm gently and Ella held back a wince. The lady brought her over to a white chair and sat her down. Ella glared at the woman as she turned away. She bit back her current anger as she came back to her.

The woman then hooked up some cords to her that led to a lie detector. Oh just great. "Now this isn't to prove you wrong just to see what we need to do to the man in jail." She said still smiling.

"Now lets begin" She said sitting down in front of her.

"Is your name Ella Olympia?" "Yes"**  
**

"Are you thirteen?" "Yes"

"Did you used to like with a man by the name of Joe Coggan?" "Yes"

"Did Joe Coggan abuse you?" Ella didn't answer. She had noticed every time she said an answer before the line stayed pretty straight. "Um... No?" She said quickly. Now the stupid line was all over the page. She knew her new-found dad was in the room and did she really want to announce that she had been abused? No, not at all.

Ella sighed as the woman unconnected her to the machine. 'Well um," The woman cleared her throat, "You two can go home now must have been a long day." She said finally as she walked out with the paper in her hand.

Ella looked up and saw her father staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably as she stood up. "Come on" He finally said in a quiet voice as he led her outside to his car. Ella wanted to beat that stupid woman and her machine up as she clenched and unclenched her hands madly. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder and looked over to see her fathers hand. She looked away slightly as she slipped into the car. She calmed down as she breathed slightly more normally.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone well imma try and write somethin funny on this so um Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the bitches house. Knock Knock. who's there? The chicken. **

**Yeah I know language but i'm not in the best mood XD**

Ella stared up at the large house that they had just pulled up to. She held back a gasp as she looked at the two-story white and blue house. She smiled inside at the house.

Poseidon parked the car by the side of the house in the garage that was attached to the house.

Ella really didn't know what to think. Here she was in her dad's car, well dad she never knew. He now knew she had been abused or she thought. And the abuser had only got a couple of months in jail. Well at least that's what she over heard.

She sighed as she got out of the car and winced slightly as she strained her chest hurting her ribs even more. Now there was no dought in her mind that she had broken at least one rib.

Thank God Poseidon didn't notice her wincing. She walked over to him as he guided her into her house. Her eyes widened as her eyes wandered the huge room. She had never been around a house this big.

Ella looked over at her father and began to notice how much she looked like him. If she had never died her hair red and left it black they would have had the same color hair and their eyes were like mirrored. They were the same color, shape, everything. Her skin wasn't as tan as his but it was pretty close.

Ella looked over as Poseidon spoke "Come on I'll show you where your room is.''

His mood had changed since she first talked to him in that office. What was that in his voice? Anger? She didn't know all she knew was pointed towards her. Or at least that's what she picked up.

She followed him up the stairs trying not to wince at each move she made. Luckily she didn't. When they reached the room her eyes widened.

The room was painted in a light sea-foam color with a tinge of blue and green. There was a big queen bed in the middle of the room with beautiful blue sheets and a fluffy pillow plopped at the frame of the bed. On the other side of the room there was a desk with a small computer and an organized set of cups with pencils and pens. To sum it up it was awesome!

Ella stifled a gasp as she took in the entirety of the room "Like it?" Ella jumped slightly she forgot he was in here. "Yes thank you" She said trying to hold in her excitement. Her father smiled slightly. He nodded "Okay dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes." "Okay" She nodded and watched him leave the room.

Ella sighed. Why was this so awkward? She sat down on the bed fiddling with her hoodie. She really wanted to talk to him but it was like he didn't want to get to close to her. Him smiling was like him telling her all his personal information. She shook her head to stop the thoughts. Or tried to.

Ella waited silently the next fifteen minutes then headed down the stairs gently so she wouldn't hurt her chest. She went to where she guessed the kitchen to be. She guessed right.

Her eyes stood calculating her surroundings as she slid into a stool at the bar. It was the only seating in the kitchen but she didn't mind. She looked up and met her fathers eyes. She kept the gaze silently. He finally broke the link and set the food in front of her as he sat down next to her.

They both ate in udder silence. She bit the inside of her lip as it hurt to swallow. This resulted in her not finishing her food. She set down her fork "I'm going to bed.'' She muttered under her breath as she climbed the stairs. Her father just nodded at her as he began to clean up the plates.

She finally made it to the room and quietly shut the door behind her then leaned against it as she slowly fell to the floor.

She put her head in her hands trying not to cry but no tears came. She had cried way to much the past days to even think about tears. Ella stood up after about ten minutes and went over to her bed and slipped off her shoes and climbed in under the sheets.

She rested her head on the giant pillow and smiled slightly. She then fell into a nice dreamy sleep. Yeah right with her luck. That night she had to have one of the most vivid nightmares she had ever had.

Her dream started out in a pitch black room with a light at the other side. In other words it was a very long room with a candle at the opposite side of the room.

She curiously began to walk to the candle. Once she reached the flickering light a shadow emerged behind her. She turned right as a man covered her mouth and held her tightly. She immediately knew who this was. Joe.

She tried screaming but she couldn't out of fear. She thrashed her body wildly trying to escape his grasp. "This is for locking me up" His voice echoed through the room.

He grabbed her by her neck and began to hold her up higher and higher. She made choking sounds as she strained to get away. She screamed as he pressed her up against a wall. She closed her eyes tightly. He punched and slapped her with his free hand. She yelped at each hit to her face or stomach.

He then dropped her but she never hit the ground she just kept falling down a dark pit. She woke up screaming with wide eyes.

She felt hands running threw her hair and looked over as she breathed heavily. She didn't see Joe. That was a good sign. She saw her father. Good.

"Calm down it was just a nightmare." He said in a soothing voice. She instantly calmed down and started breathing normally again. She had no idea how he could do that but she didn't ask.

"What was it?" He asked gently. She turned her head and looked at him in the dark. "Joe." She spat bitterly. As soon as the word left her mouth. Poseidon tensed and held her hand tighter.

She looked at him sadly. A question began to swarm her mind. "Can I ask you something?" She asked propping herself up on the bed frame. He nodded and watched her carefully. She coughed slightly as she moved her hands over her chest trying to stop the pain.

She bit her lip slightly then spoke. "Can you tell me why you left?" Her voice was on the verge of cracking but she stopped it from doing so. Again he tensed at her words. He cleared his voice and sat on the bed next to her instead of beside the bed on the chair beside the bed.

"I'll make you a deal, I'll tell you whatever you want to know about the past but you have to tell me what happened with the lie detector." Now it was Ella's turn to tense.

Ella bit her lip as she thought about what to say "Okay, deal." She said finally "But you go first because I asked first." She stated. Her father smirked slightly. "Okay."

"Well, I guess I should start from the beginning." He started and Ella nodded. "When I first met your mother she was a nice, humble, sober, and didn't do any drugs. Well then she had you and it all went downhill." Ella looked hurt "Not like that! I meant it was just too much pressure for her."

"Nice save." Ella stated. He rolled his eyes and continued "Then, well she got hooked up on drugs, she drank every night, and was putting you in danger." He said with slight anger. "I tried to win you over to me when we got a divorce but she was completely sober that day and the cops found no drugs on her. So, she convinced them that you could stay with her. And well I couldn't visit you at all because she would never tell me her address."

"Then, she went druggist again and married her second husband." Ella noted how her father didn't say Joe's name. Maybe it was just all a bitter memory to him.

"And, I guess you know the rest of the story." He finished. Ella nodded taking it all in. "Your turn." He said gently looking at her.

She took a deep breath. "I mean the lie detector pretty much said it all. He did abuse me and well other dude's he would bring home. And He got drunk most of the time. Then the day the cops came he nearly killed me." She spoke the last part quieter.

Poseidon now wore a death glare. Ella shifted slightly. "What do you mean nearly killed you?" He growled. She sighed and lifted her shirt up slightly so he could see her ribcage. She stopped raising her shirt at the top of her rib cage.

Her chest was now a sickly purple/black color. Because of her skinniness it was obvious where a rib stood out unnaturally. Her fathers eyes widen as he looked at her chest. "He broke your rib!" He nearly screamed. She nodded as she dropped her shirt. She winced slightly as he yelled. He saw this and calmed down. "Your going to have to see a doctor tomorrow." He spoke gentler "But I assure you that the idiot in jail will be in jail for more than drugs."

She just nodded "Okay." She stuttered. He sighed and kissed the top of her head "Get some sleep Okay?" She nodded and turned over and whispered "Goodnight dad".

Poseidon smiled and looked back at her. "Goodnight" He whispered and shut her door silently.

**The Next Morning**

Ella yawned tiredly as she stretched and stood up. She regretted it almost immediately. She groaned as she clutched her stomach. She bit her lip until she could taste blood. She coughed slightly and went to the bathroom and washed her mouth out to get the blood taste out.

After that she went over to the dresser then she remembered there wouldn't be any clothes in the drawers. She sighed and went over to her small bag and pulled out a pair of denim Capri/shorts and went to the bathroom again.

Ella then took a quick shower to freshen up and changed into the Capri/shorts and slipped on her crop top again and her blue hoodie that fit her body perfectly without it being to big. She smiled slightly at the mirror and brushed out her hair and drew it into a high ponytail.

She then examined her chest again. She winced as she looked at the protruding bone that was like "Nope I think ill stay out here and not be normal."

She groaned slightly and covered her chest again. When she came back into the actual room she jumped slightly as her father stood at her door. "Sorry, are you okay?" He asked. She nodded. She knew she was pretty much lying because she was in unbearable pain but hid it very well.

He nodded but had unconvinced look on his face. She looked at him as she slipped on her converse. "When do we leave?" She asked standing up. "In a few minutes. Are you hungry?" "Not really." She told him quietly. "It hurts to eat doesn't it?" He asked. Ella nodded as she wondered how he could see right through her.

He frowned slightly as he hoped she would say no. She looked at him in silence. He finally smiled at her and motioned for her to follow him as they headed down stairs then outside to the car.

**Did you like it? If so review it. f you do i'll give you a shout out on the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Why will no one review?! XD**

Ella's father drove the both of them to the hospital for her ribs. Ella fiddled with her hoodie sleeves while he drove.

She never really like doctors, nurses, or hospitals for that matter. She had awful memories of the words hospital, doctor, and nervous.

_Flashback-_

A 5 year-old Ella sat huddled in a corner cradling her dislocated shoulder. Her eyes were brimming with tears as the pain was overwhelming.

It was a night Joe brought home all his buddies and they all loved to beat her up when they got to come over. But the worst part was that they were all drunk.

Ella stared in horror as every man in the room cornered her with smirks on their faces. "Come on time to play doctor." One slurred as he picked her up roughly. She struggled but she couldn't do much because 1) She was five and 2) She had a dislocated shoulder!

The man took her over to the broken down couch and sat her up as the men crowded her again. She pushed herself back slightly as one man held her still. "Oh, I'll be the doctor!" The man who picked her up said gleefully and grabbed her shoulder (The one that was dislocated) And jammed it up as it fell into socket again.

Ella screamed with all her might as pain flooded through her body and shoulder. The men just chuckled as she screamed in pain. She cried out as tears streamed down her face. She tried to get away but that jus aggravated the men more and they ended up taking turns beating her.

So she did in fact have the right to be scared of the hospital and doctors.

_Flashback end_

Ella shuddered at the memory as the hospital came into view. Her father glanced at her "You, okay?" He asked. She nodded still shaken up from the terrible memory.

They finally made it to the parking lot, parked, and began to walk up to the sliding doors of the emergency room. Her dad signed her in and then they both sat down next to each other as they waited. She put her hand in her hoodie which was just trying to rub her ribcage soothingly but it didn't really help at all it just aggravated the sore broken bone.

Ella looked up and saw a man bringing in a small girl who she presumed as his daughter or grand-daughter. She watched the both of them closely as they signed in and the little girl, probably about five was holding her arms which was in a cast. Her "Father" Sat down and brought her into his lap and smiled. Ella looked over to see her dad watching them as well with a blank expression.

She leaned back in the uncomfortable chair and crossed her legs and kept watching the father and daughter. The girl rested her small head on her fathers chest and closed her eyes. Ella smiled inside and frowned. She loved their relationship. Smile. But, she wanted It for herself. Frown.

About thirty minutes later a woman in a white shirt and black pants came out of a door connected into the waiting room. "Ella Olympia?" She called out. Ella looked over at her father "Will you be okay by yourself?" He asked worriedly. She nodded relentlessly. All she wanted to do now was cry that she wanted her dad with her. But, she refused to do so as she walked over to the woman.

"Why hello there young lady." The woman said perkily. Ella nodded her greeting as the woman led her into a room similar to the one at the police station. She sat Ella down on the exam table. After a while of the woman typing at her computer she turned to Ella and asked "Well what seems to be wrong sweetie?"

"Um my chest and ribs..." Ella said nervously. "Let's see." The woman said looking at her. Ella raised her shirt slightly to show the protruding bone sticking out. As soon as the nurses eyes saw the injury her eyes widened and she grabbed Ella's arm gently and took her out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Ella asked shakily looking around slightly scared. "Your going to have to get surgery. Now."

Ella's eyes widened "WHAT?!" She screamed so loudly that the woman had to cover her ears as she walked. "Don't scream please and if that bone punters something it could be fatal." The woman spoke gently as she led her into an all white room with a table in the middle with knives and different tolls to the right of it.

The woman made her sit down on the table and handed her a cup with a blue liquid in it. "Drink this."

Ella held the cup shakily to her lips and began to drink the foul liquid. Ella coughed as she finished the last of it off. "Gross." She muttered handing the cup back to woman. Ella started to become very sleepy. She tried to fight it off but sadly she wasn't winning the war. She groggily looked over as the woman laid her down on the table. She wanted to push her off of her and sit back up because she felt so vulnerable laying down but she wouldn't because she felt so groggily and sleepy.

The last thing Ella remembered was the door opening to show a very angry dad who started to tell the nurse off before she passed out.

**A few hours later**

Ella groggily woke up four hours later with bandages tightly wound around her chest underneath her hoodie. When Ella opened her eyes she had to close them again as a light was right above her. She squinted her eyes trying to them open but failed. She suddenly saw the lights go out with her eyes closed. She immediately opened her eyes in surprise. She thought she was alone but apparently not.

Ella rolled her head over to see who the mystery person was. It was her dad. Thank god instead of some stupid doctor. She looked at him as he met her eyes worriedly. Then she remembered him yelling at the perky nurse. She smiled slightly at the memory.

He sat down next to her bed and tilted his head slightly "What?" He asked. "I passed out watching you almost cuss out a nurse. It's still fresh on my mind." She said smirking. He glared softly at her "Well I heard you screaming and no one told me where they were taking you untill after they drugged you so yes I was mad." He huffed.

She smiled slightly. "If you say so." She said almost laughing. He pouted which made her bust out laughing. She kept laughing as she realized her chest no longer hurt as much as it did. She finally stopped and looked over at him and smiled widely. This made him smile as well.

She sighed as she calmed herself. She could feel that the table had a back on it so she sat up slightly and leaned on the back of the table. She winced only slightly as she did so and looked over at the door as a nurse walked in and blinded her once more. she closed her eyes and squinted trying to adjust her eyes to the light. She just huffed and turned her head towards her dad. She opened her eyes slightly as she watched him glare daggers at the nurse as she went over to the table slowly.

She smiled slightly as her eyes adjusted more and more to the bright light. She finally could open her eyes and starred at the nurse as she faced her dad and spoke in a soft tone, " someone is here to see you." She said as she made a guester towards the door. He sighed and stood up and looked at Ella. "Will you be okay?" Ella nodded curiously as the nurse and Poseidon walked out.

Ella looked at the clock and counted thirty minutes before the door opened again. She turned her head quickly to see a very pale Poseidon coming into the room with a shocked expression on his face. Ella looked at him confused "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. Oh great now she was the worried one.

"Come on they said you can go home." He said not answering her question. She shakily stood. He put his arm around her to steady her shaking frame as they walked out of the paintents exit and headed over to the sleek black car which he owned. She climbed in the car with a slight wince but covered it up with a small cough then looked at her dad curiously again.

"What happened?" She asked. He looked at her still pale "Wait till we get home, please I don't want to say it here." He pleaded showing her a side she had never seen of him. She nodded shakily and turned her head towards the window as he drove them both home.

When they reached the house Ella opened her door slowly and stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. She shakily walked over to him. What was so bad that he couldn't tell her and why did he look so freaked out.

She walked beside him into the large house that she had come to love. He led her over to the couch and sat down next to her. He sighed as he put his arm around her shoulders and brushed her now reddish black hair out of her face. She looked up at him as he did this. He sighed and kissed the top of her head softly.

"What happened?" She asked him again in a pleading voice.

He took a deep breath and looked down at her. "The person who showed up was a old friend from school. He said he wanted to tell me before everyone else," Another sigh, "Me and him got deployed to the Marines and he told me we have to leave in three days," He was going to continue but Ella grabbed his waist and cried into his shirt.

Ella's body was wracked in sobs as her father rubbed her back gently. "Shhhh it's only for 4 months." He spoke trying to calm her but his own voice was cracking slightly. They stayed like that for a long time with Ella covering her face in his shirt and crying while Poseidon was trying to calm her down.

Finally Ella's sobs softened into sniffles as she still didn't meet his eyes. He continued to rub her back as he started to talk again. "You'll be staying with your Aunt, Sally until I get back and I will come back I promise you that." He said and she believed him to the full extent.

**((Don't give me hate because I made Sally her Aunt please Lol))**

Ella nodded against his chest sadly. She hated herself for showing this pitiful side to him but now that wasn't what she cared about the most. She had just met him this week and yet she cared about him more than anything. He was her family she didn't want to let the only "Family" She had at this time to go away again.

He was the only one who could calm her down, the only one who she laughed with, The only one. She knew she was probably being stupid. Why would he care as much as she did. He probably wouldn't but who cares. She rambled on in her mind non stop. She froze in fear as she thought about what would happen if she lost him in those four months. She shook the thought away. He promised her and he wouldn't break the promise. Would he?

She looked up at him with teary eyes and coughed. This was aggravating her sore muscles from the surgery but she pushed that aside. "You will be okay." He told her in a voice that sounded like a very polite order. She nodded as she closed her eyes against his chest like a toddler would do.

"What time do you leave?" She whispered. He took a deep breath like he was dreading to tell her. "Well in two days your going to you Aunts then the next day I have to leave." Her eyes shot open as she looked at him in disbelief. He winced at her expression. She frowned sadly. "Why do I have to leave the second day if you leave the third?" He looked down at her and locked eyes with her. "Because Ellie I have to leave at the crack of dawn and you wouldn't like it I know it." She listened to him but was caught off guard when he said Ellie.

"Ellie?" She asked.

"I used to call you that when you were a baby." He said smiling.

She nodded "Okay" She sighed. He looked at her again and helped her to her feet and walked her to her bedroom. "You need some sleep it's late." He whispered helping her into her bed. "Your Aunt's going to take you shopping when you go over to her. So you can get some new clothes for school."

"Wait what!" She nearly screamed staring at him. He looked at her and smiled slightly "You Aunt is enrolling you into a school here in town. She sighed and kicked her shoes off and laid down under her covers as looked at him as he sat on her bed next to her.

"Here I was saving this but looks like I need to give it to you now." He said and plucked a box from his pocket and handed it to her. She sat up slightly and opened the small black velvet box. Her eyes widened as she took out a beautiful necklace that had a blue/green charm heart on it along with an engraving that said "Ella ~ your are my all completely. She smiled as she read the words.

She looked up at him and smiled as she hugged him closing her eyes. She could tell he was taken back but hugged her back just the same. She stayed like that for a couple of minutes then suck into the bed right-side him feeling safer as she clutched the necklace in her hands. He kissed her head and smiled "Goodnight sweetheart." He said but didn't leave her. "Goodnight dad." She whispered. He didn't leave until she had fallen asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much Rowenna Olympian I love your review here's you a blue cookie (::) **

**Also . you get a cookie as well! (::) :) Thank you both so much**

Ella's nightmares just loved to taunt her.

When she opened her eyes she was on a battlefield. She was standing next to her dad but he couldn't see her He had a blank expression on his face. He was dressed in a military uniform with a gun slung over his shoulder. She backed up slightly as she saw thousands of men in black uniforms marching closer and closer to where they stood with about a hundred other men in uniforms like her dad.

She watched in horror as all the men in black seemed to surround her father in a circle. Ella screamed and tried frantically to push through the men but they seemed to have a force she couldn't push through.

Then she heard it. A single bullet shot. She stopped and started banging on the men to get away and they did slowly leaving a pool of blood surrounding her father. She screamed out and let out sobs escape her throat as she laid on top of her fathers chest. She cried as she yelled at him.

"You promised! You promised!" She screamed again and again. "Come on please get up." She whispered crying into his shirt.

She stayed like that for who knows how long until her dream changed quickly and left her on a floor inside of a church. She looked around and saw everyone in black. She slowly turned her head forwards and saw a beautiful white coffin. She stood up and leaned over the coffin and screamed as she saw her father there. She fell to her knees and put her head in her hands. She was now sobbing uncontrolably by the raised coffin.

Thats when her dream turned black and she awoke with a jolt. She grabbed her chest trying to control her breathing.

She looked around and didn't see anyone in her room. She gulped and closed her door without a peep and turned on the lights on silently and sat back down on the bed. She stared at the necklace that was still in her hands. She silently put it around her neck and put the heart underneath her hoodie.

She breathed shakily. She put her head in her hands and tried very hard not to cry her eyes out. Her dream was so vivid it scared her to death.

She couldn't bare to think of what would happen if all of that actually happened. She turned her lights off and opened the door and saw the downstairs light on. She sneakily snuck down one of the stairs and watched as she saw her dad was on the phone pacing the room back and forth.

She listened to him intently to him.

"Yes she will come in two days and stay for the next four months-" He was cut off by whoever was on the phone

"She's shy when you first meet her but she'll warm up to you."

"She's very independent." He smiled when he said this like he was sharing a inside joke with whoever was on the phone. She guessed it was the Sally woman but she wasn't for sure.

"And please make sure she's okay with everything at school. I really don't want her to get hurt." Ella smiled at that comment.

"I know you will but you have no idea how hard this is on her and me in fact!"

"Yes, Yes I know I'm sorry but still this whole thing from the beginning has been emottional for her and now she has to wait four months." Ella looked down slightly at that note.

"Oh, Sorry yeah I'll let you go. Bye. Goodnight." He then hung up the home phone. Ella went back to her room and closed the door. She crawled into bed silently and fingered her necklace as she faced away from the door on her side.

She slowly allowed herself to be taken over by tiredness and thankfully she didn't have any more nightmares.

**Going to skip to the day she has to leave...**

Ella was really dreading nine o clock P.M. She knew in a couple minutes it would be that time and she would have to go to her new Aunt's house for four months.

Ella looked up from her bed as she heard her door opened. She saw her dad come into the room and she looked at him. "Are you ready?" He said gently. "No." She said then sighed and mumbled yes. Ella stood up and walked to the door with him. She heard him sigh.

She felt numb all over as they loaded into the car. Ella watched as the drove up to a apartment complex. Not what she was expecting but she didn't care at the moment.

She walked beside him as they treked up the stairs until they reache the third floor. She looked at her feet as they stopped outside a room. It faintly smelled like choclate chip cookies from the outside. When someone came to the door she looked up.

She saw a woman with a blue and white shirt on with blue jeans on. She had raven black hair just like her fathers and her face lit up as she saw them both. "Oh! Come in Come in." She said ushering the both of them inside the apartment.

She followed very close beside her father shyly. Wow was he right on the phone. She felt like a child hiding behind their parents leg when someone new would show up.

She looked up at him slowly as he smiled down at her. She looked at the woman curiously as she gave her brother a hug.

She turned to Ella and smiled and hugged her as well. "I'm so glad you could come." She said letting go of her. She looked up as her father cleared his voice and said "Well, I should be off.". Ella seriously wanted to cry right now. He turned to Ella and smiled gently. "Be good okay?" She nodded numbly. He brought her into a hug and she hugged back probally trying to hug tighter.

She was shaking slightly in his grasp. She looked up at him with his chin resting on his chest. "Stop making this hard." He spoke softly smiling at her. "Your the one making it harder." Ella leaned against him trying harder and harder not to cry. She stayed in his grasp for a while then finally he pulled away gently and looked at her sadly. He kissed her cheek and hugged her again quickly "I'll see you in four months okay?" She nodded holding in tears and watched as he said thank you to her aunt and walked towards the door.

She watched him shoot her one last smile then the door clicked closed. It finally hit her that this was real and she wouldn't see him for four months. She turned slowly back to her aunt who looked like she was on the verge of tears. She smiled once Ella looked at her. "Would you like some cookies?" She asked. Ella shook her head absently "Um, I'm kinda tired where can I go to bed?" Ella spoke sadly.

Sally frowned slightly and took her hand and led her to a small room furnished with a bed and side table along with a dresser. "I sorta already bought you some clothes I hope thats alright."

"Yeah totally that's great actually." She reassured her. She smiled and nodded as she walked out closing her door silently. Ella threw herself onto the bed and smothered her face in the pillow so Sally wouldn't hear her.

Ella then started to sob uncontrolablly as her fragile body shook violently. The wraps around her chest were starting to peel anyways so crying just made most of it fall off her body. She sniffled trying to get it under control but it was helpless. She finally had to surrender herself to sleep with her head buried in the pillow

And that's how every night ended after that.

After a couple weeks Ella started school and joined a swim and riding club and was excellent at both. The only downfall. No one ever could come and watch her. Sure Sally wanted to but she had work and it always interferred with her work and if she took a day off she would surely get fired.

Ella seemed to get picked on every day at school though for being the new kid and well also because everyone thought she was an orphan. She took all the beatings though. She never fought back either.

She also was a star student who made A's in every class surprisingly. Another reason she was beat.

Ella also had grown to love Sally and almost every week got to contact her dad. It was really sad but what could she do about. She did this every week to make sure he was still there and that he was going to keep his promise about going home.

Now it was the forth month and also the end of school since she joined school in the middle of the school year.

One day she woke up did her daily routine to get ready then sat back down on the bed and grabbed her tablet off her bed and checked her skype to see if her dad was on. No, strange. They both had made a scheduled time to chat but she guessed he was busy this week. She sighed and stood it was up. It was Saturday. Yesssss!

Ella headed out the door and heard a pop and confetti spewed in front of her. She turned and saw Sally holding a confetti popper. She smiled but looked confused.

"Happy Birthday!" She nearly yelled. She looked at her in surprise. She didn't even remember today was her birthday. Sshe covered up the surprise and smiled. "Thanks." She said and hugged her.

She became said inside though. It was her birthday and she had one wish. One wish! And it wasn't even going to happen! Her wish was for her father to be back by her birthday. Yeah that wasn't going to happen she knew it for a fact.

She sat down at the table as Sally made her blow out some candles on a small blue cake. She closed her eyes and wished one more time then blew out the candles. She looked at Sally as she cut two slices of cake and rushed her to eat the cake.

"Come on Ella you need to go get your present!" Sally kept saying over and over. "You got me a present?" Ella asked in disbelife.

"Yes of course!" She said like Ella asked what color water was. She finally finished her cake and went to her room and quickly threw her hair up in a ponytail and slipped on a light blue hoodie that was new and some athletic shorts then some new sneakers. She then washed her face to wake up then dried her face off.

Ella lingered in front of the mirror a little longer and pulled her heart necklace out and smiled looking at the charm in her hand. She placed it on her neck and left it on top of her hoodie.

Ella finally slipped on a hair band to keep her long bangs out of her hair. Her hair over the months had changed from reddish black to full raven black just like Sally's and her dad's.

Ella then went out into the living room where Sally was waiting and followed her outside with a slight smile wondering what her present could be. Why did she have to go outside to get it? She sighed and cotninued to follow her aunt down the stairs.

She breathed in deeply as they walked outside and followed her to the local park. Why on earth were they at the park?!


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys so in this chapter and the next and however many more horse chapters there shall be. I ride differently than most and I also ride western. So no comments on how I make her ride okay? Okay.**

**Oh and thank you DMRK For you review. (::)**

Ella followed closely behind Sally as they reached the middle of the park. Sally smiled at her and hugged her "Did you like get me the park?" She asked confused as she hugged her back. "No silly" She said releasing her.

"Okay now put this blindfold on." Sally said handing her a sleek black scarf. Ella narrowed her eyes at the black scarf. She sighed and pouted as she tied it around her eyes and her vision turned black. She crossed her arms stubbornly as she hear Sally's voice a few inches away from her and leaves crunching in front of her.

"Okay now on the count of three take it off okay?" Ella nodded and put her hands on the scarf to be ready to take it off.

She continued to hear shuffling ahead of her. probably some kid or Sally getting the present. She swore if anyone from school saw her she would just flat-out die. Okay maybe that was a little extreme but she knew she would never live that down at school.

She suddenly felt intimidated. She wasn't the tallest person ever or the strongest and being blind just took a privilege away.

She then heard Sally's voice break her thoughts.

"Okay. One..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

Ella slowly took the blindfold off but kept her eyes closed because of the light but quickly recovered and became even more confused as she saw about ten men dressed in all black standing in front of her. She raised an eyebrow at Sally who just smiled. What was she playing at.

The men then started to line up in a straight line. They all were staring at her smiling. She twirled the scarf in her hand as one by one the men started to part down the middle leaving an open space between half of them. She looked curious as she saw a figure approaching from a distance. Stupid not working eyes. She thought to herself.

Her eyes widened as she saw the figure from about ten feet away. She ran at the figure crying. She hugged him tightly crying out. She sunk to her knees with him. Her father. Her father was here. Maybe wishes do come true.

She cried tears of happiness as she kept hugging him. He rested his head on her head hugging her back tightly. She was now sobbing on the ground but it felt way better than crying at night. She shook her head against him "Don't leave again, Please." She sobbed still hugging him as tight as she could. "I won't, I won't don't worry I'm never going to leave you again." He said kissing her forehead. She turned her head with her eyes closed resting her head on his chest.

She felt him rubbing her back gently. She sniffled trying to stop crying but it was still no use. "Daddy." She whispered choking out the word as she sobbed. "Shhhhh It's okay. Alright? I kept my promise didn't I?" He whispered to her his voice cracking slightly as well. She nodded absently. It hit her finally that this was such a privilege it was surreal. Some people didn't get this privilege but she did and it was the happiest moment of her life.

She looked up at him as she wiped her face with her sleeve. "Happy birthday Ella." He whispered smiling down at her. She smiled as she stopped sobbing. She didn't ever want to get up to ever have this moment end. He kissed her on her forehead once more before pulling her up but he supported more of her weight than she was. She leaned against him as he walked over to Sally. "Thank you." He told her "It was my pleasure but that's not the end." She said and Ella and Poseidon looked at each other confusedly.

Sally rolled her eyes and put her hand on her hip "Ella how do you not know? You talked about it all week." She kept looking confused then it hit her. Oh god why did she have to embarrass her so much. Her dad looked at her with curiosity. "Um-" She rubbed her neck "It's just a horse show." She mumbled. "A very important show." Sally added. She bit her tongue from saying anything. Her father just chuckled and held her tighter against his side. She looked up at him slightly. He smiled down at her.

She shifted slightly as she looked down at her wrist and it said "1:00" On it. She still had three hours until the show but she needed to start heading out an hour early to pick up her horse that she owned at the barn. She looked away from the small watch on her wrist.

"Well let's go home." Sally said and Ella and her dad both followed at the same pace. She smile slightly at that. They finally made it to the apartment and walked inside the small apartment that Ella had come to love. She sat down on the small couch next to her dad and leaned against him. He ran his fingers through her hair gently and slowly. She still had tears in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"When did you get back?" Ella asked quietly. "Yesterday but I waited to see you untill today." Ella's head shot up "You got back yesterday!" She yelled. "Yes now calm down I got back at like ten." She huffed still not fully happy at that but she decided not to care at the moment.

She brought her legs up to her chest as she leaned on him. She looked over at his other arm and noticed a wrapping that she didn't see before. She looked up at him "What happened to your arm?" She asked her voice slightly on the edge. He looked at her sadly and brought her closer. "It's nothing okay? Nothing that either of us needs to be worrying about." He spoke gently. She allowed him not to tell her.

She yawned slightly and stretched her arms slightly. "Hey, why don't you go get your stuff together so after the show you can go home." He said taking his arm off of her. She didn't really wanted to but nodded anyways and headed off to her room and started to pack her clothing and all her other "Things". She finally finished packing thirty minutes later and then pulled some jeans out and her nice showing shirt and slipped them both on along with her boots. She smiled looking down at herself. She tucked the shirt in neatly and brushed her hair back into a neat bun for when she put her hat on which when she got there she would.

She finally came out of the room with her suitcase by her side. She smiled as she set the suitcase by the door and plopped on the couch again. Her dad smiled at her as she did so. Her aunt came into the room and sat down "Are you ready?" Ella nodded as she stood up again and headed back to the door and grabbed the suitcase.

She waited for her dad not leaving his side. This time it wasn't for her being shy it was just that she like his comfort and you know not seeing him for four months! She shook off the thought as she carried the luggage down the stairs with ease.

She threw the suitcase in the backseat and climbed into the middle seat in the front of her aunts pickup.

She leaned back as they drove. She closed her eyes from the sun and sat up straiter to block the sun out. She smiled as she coul see the barn in the horizon. She became giddy as her aunt parked the car letting her out. "See you there." She said sweetly jumping out of the pick-up, giving her father a kiss on the cheek, and then waving the truck off.

She took a deep breath and headed into the barn. The girls here were pretty much like sisters to her they all got along and it was pretty much perfect here. Ella stepped into the pasture to catch her appaloosa gelding. She breathed in the long grass smell as she held the halter in her hand and looked over and saw her gelding. She smiled as he reared up excitedly and trotted towards her. "Aw hows my big boy doing?" She spoke like you would to a child because he was basically her child. He nickered rearing his head back in a whinny. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently.

She stood at an angle in front of him and held her hand out. "Shake Dime." She asked softly making a slight clucking sound. She smiled as he stuck out his hoof. Not reaching her hand but that's all she wanted was for him to paw slightly.

She grinned widely as she stood by his side. "Head." She said gently to not scare him. He tilted his neck so his face now faced her "Good boy." She praised him slipping the halter on him slowly and leading him out of the pasture. She held the lead rope loosely knowing he wouldn't try to go anywhere but with her.

She finally made her way into the indoor barn where the stables were. She opened Dime's stable and leaded him in and took off his halter and shut the stable door. She walked up to the tact room and went to her locker about to pull out her grooming supplies when she heard crying. She stopped and followed the noises until she reached the other side of the stables where she found her best friend, Lillie crying outside of her lovely Mouse Dun (Brown Dun) mare, Twinkle.

She knelt in front of her "Whats wrong Lil's." She spoke gently trying not to upset her even more. Lillie looked up with red eyes and smiled slightly when she saw Ella. "Hey El It's just that I-I have to sell Twinkle." She choked out. Ella's shoulders dropped "Wait can you compete today?" She asked. Lillie nodded "Yeah but this will be the last time before I have to start riding the school ponies." She sniffled rubbing her eyes.

Ella pondered on this for a moment then her eyes lit up. "Hey! What if I buy Twinkle from you and me and you can both ride her but then you wouldn't have to ride the school ponies." Ella bounced up and down at her idea. She meant no rudeness to the school ponies but you wouldn't get to bond with them as much as you would with your own horse. "El you would do that for me?" Lillie asked as her face lit up and she stood up happily. Ella stood up as well and nodded while smiling.

Oh man she was never going to hear the end of this from her father. Oh well at least it was a conversation starter.

Her and Lillie shared a hug and smiled at each other as they both walked to the tact room. "So anything exciting happen to you today?" Lillie asked her. Ella smiled as she grabbed her grooming bucket. "Oh, yeah!" She said grinning like a mad man. Lillie smirked as she busted out laughing. "Here i'll move Twinkle to the stall beside Dime's and you can tell me all about it." Lillie said still trying not to laugh. Ella smiled "Okay" She walked back to Dime's stall and held the stable door open for her as her and Twinkle walked in.

Twinkle seemed to light up as well when she got moved beside Dime. They shared a nose bump then the both turned back to their owners. Ella closed her stable door then went into Dime's stall and began to brush him down from his neck to his behind.

"Okay now spill the beans El." Lillie said cheerfully brushing down Twinkle. "Well-"


	6. Chapter 6

"Well-" Ella began as she started to tell Lillie all about earlier that day and how her father came home. Lillie could tell she was on the verge of tears as she told her the full story.

When she finished Ella swiped her hand across her eyes to remove a tear lingering in her eyes. Dime noticing this rested his head gently on her shoulder and lifted his lip slightly brushing her cheek. She smiled and gave Dime a peck on his head. Lillie waved her hands in front of her eyes "Oh my goodness your going to make me cry!" She sniffled.

Ella laughed slightly as she finished brushing down Dime. As soon as she was finished brushing him down the riding teacher came into the stables where Ella, Lillie, and the rest of the girls were/ "Okay everyone. You can go out and do a quick bareback ride then come back in and load 'em up!" He announced.

She smiled at him as he walked out. Ella quickly braided Dime's tail back and lead him out to the pasture. She was the first one out here. Perfect.

She climbed onto his back gently. He nickered sweetly as he turned his neck to look at her. She smiled and tapped him slightly to get him to walk then she brought him into a nice trot. She smiled as her long bangs that didn't fit into her bun flew through the steady wind.

She smiled after a while she kicked slightly again and made a kissing sound, asking him for a canter, then just as quickly brought him into a gallop. She let out a whoop as they galloped across the giant field. That just pressed Dime forward more as he pinned his ears back trying harder and harder to go as fast as he possibly could.

Ella finally aloud herself to bring him back down to a trot slowly. She leaned into his neck as they trotted slowly back to the barn. When they reached the back entrance of the barn Dime stopped obediently. She smiled and slipped off him. She led him to the trailer and loaded him with ease. She tied him up slowly then closed his place up with the swinging door in the trailer so he couldn't get to anyone else.

After about twenty minutes everyone was loaded up and in the truck to begin to start driving to the show. Ella looked out the window as after an hour of driving they finally made it to the show arena. It was indoors. Yippe!

Ella smiled and got out of the truck with the others behind her as she opened the back of the trailor up and waited for everyone to get their horse. Finally she made it to Dime and smiled as she unloaded him. She tied him up outside the trailor and began to saddle him.

"Oh look mommy a horsey!" She heard a girl squeal behind her. She turned and smiled as she saw the little girl pointing at Dime. She looked back and saw her mother and father standed behind the little girl wearing big smiles and chuckling slightly. Ella picked up the little girl and let her pet Dime. Dime nickered quickly nudging the little girl. Ella laughed slightly and set the girl back down. "Thank you." Her father said politely grabbing the little girls hand. "No problem!" She said waving at them as they left.

Ella stroked Dime's neck as she put his saddle on then his bridal and leg wraps. She smiled as she untied him. and then snapped her helmet on. Even with the little girl incident she was the fastest one to have their horse saddled and ready.

Ella led Dime to a small empty area and climbed up on him clutching the saddle horn as she lifted herself up. She let go of the horn and held the reins in one hand. She began to practice her walk, trot, canter. Which was her event of the day. She practiced backing him which was easy for Dime but she still wanted to practice it. She breathed proudly and slipped off him for just a moment to stretch his legs one more time.

She turned around holding Dime's reins. She searched through the crowd of people who were in the bleachers to watch. Her eyes fell on her father. He sure as heck didn't see her but she saw him for sure even with her horrible eyesight.

Ella took a deep breath and climbed onto Dime again and began to line up with everyone else in her class outside the arena. She gave Dime a pat as they announced her class could come into the arena and start walking. She gave him a small kick to get him to walk.

"Oh look your back." She heard a snarky voice say behind her as she started walking around the arena. She turned and saw a mean girl from another school that she had met last time she showed. She rolled her eyes at her and continued to put all her focus into Dime as the people over the intercom announced to start trotting.

Ella easily got Dime into a trot sitting up straight and pushing her heels down in the stirrups. She smiled slightly at his grace. She grinned wildly as they announced the cantor. She brought him up into the canter circling the arena. She looked at the competition and saw Lillie in her class trying hard to get Twinkle to canter but couldn't get her to That seemed to be happening a lot of girls. Ella sighed for her and brought Dime back into a trot as they announced it. Ella passed a couple of people and continued as they continued kept announcing the different gaits.

Finally they were told to line up and they would be giving out the scores. Ella lined up Dime perfectly as the others began to trickle into their spots. The judges came behind each of them and asked them to back Ella did without Dime stuttering. She smiled at this.

Eventually the intercom came on "We are only giving ribbons to third to first everyone." They started out "OKay third place, Lillie Rigdon." Ella clapped for her friend. The judge came and gave her a small ribbon but she looked happy about third. She guessed she won because of her trotting and walking skills and she did eventually get twinkle to canter slightly. "Second place goes to Lucy Adams." They announced. Ugh that mean girl got second. Ella sighed. She probably didn't place at all then.

"And first place and the winner of the one thousand dollar prize goes to..." They paused then announced loudly "Ella Olympia!" The croud exploded in applause. Ella blushed slightly as she stared wide-eyed as they judge handed her an envelope bursting with bills. Ella laughed slightly as they put a sash around Dime's neck and he nickered lifting his head high. She gave him a big pat as her, Lillie, and Lucy did a victory lap around the arena. Ella was so blown away now she couldn't do anything but focus on Dime as he trotted gracefully around the arena. She rode him out of the arena and back to the trailer and slipped off him. Lillie came over to her and gave her a giant hug "Congrats! Dime was amazing out there!" She praised. "You did great too!" Ella spoke back smiling.

Ella walked Dime over to a field she had found once when she had come here. She slipped the money into her pocket and pinned the ribbon on her shirt. She sat down by a tree to the side of the field while holding Dime's reins loosely. He bowed his legs and head to her and she smiled widely. "Aw you little love bird." She said to him as she rubbed his forehead gently. "You were amazing big boy don't ever forget that." She whispered as he stood up and towered over her sitting frame and nickered. This was trust at its finest and she knew she could never lose this trust between him.

She looked over hearing leaves crunching and saw her father walking toward the tree. She grinned like a maniac as he sat by her and wrapped his arm around her. "Good job Ella." He praised her kissing the top of her head. Dime stomped his foot and huffed. "And you too." Her father added with a laugh. Ella leaned against him watching Dime. She took a deep breath. She looked at him slowly. "What?" He asked. "Nothing." She added.

They stayed like that for a while until He finally stood up and Ella followed his example and stood up slowly. Dime nudged her back slightly. She caught herself and smiled as she turned her head towards her Dime and nudged his head.

She smiled and led him to the trailer with her dad "Hey i'm parked over there okay? Come over there when your done." He said pointing towards his car and started to walk off. She was about to unsaddled Dime when a man approached her. She smiled at him and he did the same but it was forced. "Hey mind if I get your picture for the newspaper?" He asked "No problem!" She said thinking he would take her picture there but didn't he asked her to follow him because the lighting wasn't good-by the trailer.

When they reached a place where no people were he suddenly jumped at her and covered her mouth tightly and held her in place. Her eyes widened as she struggled to get away from the man. But the struggling stopped when she felt him point a gun at her head.

She stood stiffly trying not to cry. "Now you're going to come with me with ease is that clear?" He spoke in a husky voice that she recognized. She threw her head around to meet eyes she thought she would never see again. Joe Coggan. How did she not recognize him before! How could she be so stupid!

She watched in horror as he pushed her into an old rusty car and duck tape her mouth and tying her wrists and legs up. Then he got in the car and began to drive out she looked longingly at her father's car as they passed it. She needed to be in his car not this scum bags car.

She rested her head on the window sadly trying not to cry. She hated this so much. What a sucky birthday. And Dime, Oh he had to be so worried now. Ella sniffled as they drove up to an old barn in the middle of no where but she remembered every turn because she was going to get out of here at some point or another.

When they parked Joe opened her door and grabbed her and held her bridal style in his twig arms and carried her into the barn which had a computer set up. Joe set her down in front of the computer and smirked. He seemed to log into Skype and dial someone. He turned it where she would see who it was and the camera was pointed at her laying down frame.

Her eyes widened in horror as she saw it was dialing her dad. He turned the computer right as he answered. "Who is this?" Her father asked as Joe just wore a smug smile. "You have one month to pay me ten grand or she gets it." He said huskily. "Wait who are you even talking about!" Joe then turned the camera so it faced her. She groaned as she looked up and met his eyes. His eyes widened as he saw her. She screamed out for him trying to say dad in any way but the duct tape made it impossible.

Joe turned the computer so he faced it again. "Your time starts now and if I don't get my money in a month you'll see her dead." He said smiling at him. "If you touch her I swear you'll regret it!" He screamed madly. Joe turned the computer and grabbed his gun and pulled Ella close holding it to her head. "I make the threats not you got it? I will shoot her now if you're not careful." Ella's father stayed silent. Ella screamed trying to get away from the man. Ella locked eyes with her father scaredly. He softened his gaze as he looked at her.

One thing was clear though. He was going to try to get her.

Joe smirked and turned the computer stopping the gaze. He smirked "Maybe I will kill her now." He smirked and shot a bullet missing Ella by inches. The last thing she heard was her father screaming NO.

She cried slightly. This had to be the best and worst birthday in the history of birthdays.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone I'm probally the only person who updates a story almost every day. Oh well. So I'm sorrry if this chapter feels rushed. If it does feel free to tell me. Well off to type the next chapter!**

That day Joe teased her non stop about how she had a daddy who thought she was dead and told her he had watched her for months now and found his perfect opportunity.

He also said that he was going to start torturing her tomorrow and keep asking for the ransom money. She hated him for telling her this. She looked up at him as he kicked her slightly. Your pathetic you know that? He would say to her over and over.

She cried uncontrollably as she struggled and kicked (Or tried to) her legs trying to escape. Joe just kicked her legs hard. She screamed out in pain. It was muffled however because of the duct tape.

Later that night after Joe had fallen asleep she spotted a long blade across the room. She slowly laid flat on the ground and inched her self towards the blade. She squirmed as she tried to reach the blade.

When she did she lifter feet over it and began to slowly cut the ropes on her feet and hands. The cutting took around an hour on the thick rope. She breathed deeply once she finished. She slowly took the duct tape off her mouth. She stood up silently and grabbed Joe's gun and glared at him.

Oh how much she wanted to kill the bastard. She took a deep breath and moved the blade so when Joe sat up he would hit the blade. Yeah gruesome, But she really couldn't care. Ella walked out of the barn quietly. Yes she escaped! She praised herself as she started to walk the way she remembered she had come.

It was about an hour drive from the arena to the barn then another hour drive from the arena to the barn. Then a hour and thirty minutes to her house. She sighed this was going to be a long couple days.

**Walking from the barn to her house.**

Ella was exhausted and starving. She was now walking closer and closer to her father's house. The walk had taken her about three das in total from having to rest at some points. Her eyes lit up as she began to see her father's house. She began to run to the house happily not caring about her legs which felt like they were on fire.

When she reached the front of the house she saw that her aunts car was parked outside but her father's car was not to be seen. She became very confused as she knocked on the front door.

When the door opened it was her aunt who gasped and hugged her and started crying. She hugged her back on the verge of tears herself but kept them inside. She walked inside with her aunt who was still hugging her.

"I can't belief your alive!" She cried sitting down on the couch. "I escaped a couple of nights ago." She explained. "Where's my dad?" She asked worriedly. "Oh, honey." She sobbed wrapping her tighter but Ella pushed herself up. "What? What happened!" She pleaded. Her aunts face fell as she looked at her. "I don't know." She started quietly. "The night he heard that gunshot he was so devastated to think you were dead he drove away saying he was going to the army again. But, I don't know if he did or not." She whispered.

Ella screamed and stood up crying now. "He came back after four months and now he's gone again! He promised! He promised!" She kept screaming. Sally tried to calm her but no one could except for her father. She held ehr head in her hands as she ran out of the house and sat down on the curb sobbing. He back rose and fell shakily to her crying.

Her aunt didn't bother to come and consul her knowing it was no use. Ella looked up with teary eyes and stared out into the black night. She rubbed her eyes and started to walk around the block, She could almost hear her father's voice in her head telling her to calm down and that it would be okay. But, it wasn't okay. He was gone and was going to be gone for who knows how long.

She made her way to the park and sat under a big oak in the darkness. She threw her head back on the bark ignoring the pain. She stared up at the dark tree limbs above her head. Ella literally felt like dying. She really wanted to die because dying would be better than the pain she felt now.

She stood up after an hour and walked slowly back to the house with her head hung low as she crossed the street. She looked up in horror as she saw a car plowing towards her. She braced herself for the hit but it never came. The car stopped right as it was about to hit her. She looked up to see a man come out of the car and glare at her.

"Who stands in the middle of the road at night!" He said flailing his arms madly. "Didn't you parents ever teach you that? Huh?" He remarked. She shot her head up and approached him slowly "Listen here bitch! I don't have any parents at the moment! I just lost my dad and I don't know if ill ever see him again! So I would watch your mouth if I was you!" She screamed at the man who was taken back. "I-I'm sorry I didn't know." He tried. Ella glared at him "I don't need you to consul me I think I would have like it better if that rust bucket had hit me!" She yelled pointing at his car.

She then stormed off leaving the man still staring at her in disbelife. She wiped away some tears as she stormed into the house not looking at her aunt and up to her bedroom and collapsing on the bed. She sobbed on the bed. She pulled out her tablet seeing if maybe he was on Skype by any chance. No. She threw the tablet across the room in fury only cracking it slightly but it felt good.

She smirked and grabbed the edge of her desk and flipped it over in fury. Her aunt didn't come into the room surprisingly. She cried out as she grabbed her side table and chucked it. She finally fell onto her bed and began to sob uncontrollably.

She finally had to give herself to sleep and it seemed even the nightmares didn't want to mess with her because her only dream was blackness.

The next months were terrible and they just kept increasing in pain. Her only pain reliever was riding and swimming. She did end up buying Twinkle and started working her harder than Lillie was doing before. She always let Lillie ride her though. Oh, and she certainly didn't forget about her big boy Dime.

She had counted the days since her father had been gone. The tally was adding up to be an approximate six and a half months. She counted each day hoping maybe one day he would come back but she didn't count on it.

**Present time**

Ella woke up yawning. She climbed out of her bed tiredly and changed into some clean clothes and did the basics then checked her ipod for some music and slipped her headphones on. When she came out of her room she saw her aunt looking surprisingly perky she usually wasn't this happy since what happened.

She looked up at Ella and smiled. "Have a good day at school!" She said giggling and smiling waving her off. Ella walked out of the house confused. What the heck is wrong with her did she loose it? She just sighed shaking her thoughts away as she started to walk to school. Her music shifted to confessions of a broken heart and she looked down. This song always made her choke up inside. She sighed and kept walking.

After a while of walking she made it to her school and went inside and went to her locker and pulled out her persecutes for her first period. As she closed her locker she turned and almost ran into a bully. He pushed her into the locker as she yelped in pain. "Get out of my way dumbass!" He screamed at her. He punched her square in the shoulder and sauntered off. She screamed slightly but stopped.

Since she had lost her dad she wore thick black makeup and dark blue clothing. Today though, she decided not to put on any makeup and just wear some swim shorts and a dark blue sweatshirt. Her eyes had started to hold hatred and pain and she had started snapping at some people. She was way more short-tempered now. She even snapped a couple of times at her aunt. She felt bad but she had no way to take out her pain.

Ella never took out her pain on anyone physically. She also had way more free time and she got to perfect her swimming and riding skills. She had competed in many competitions both riding and swimming and won most competitions. But it didn't make her any more happier.

She held her shoulder and walked into her class she saw a giant poster hanging up on the board. "All first period report to the gym please." It read. She sighed and began to walk towards the gym with her head down carrying her binders and folders. She opened the gym doors slowly as she walked in confused. She looked around and saw all the people from her class standing in the middle of the gym looking confused as the teacher sorted out some papers.

Without looking up the teacher said in a loud voice. "Ella your late. That's three times this week." Ella shrugged "Sorry?" She said snarkily earning a few snickers form the class. "Cut the act or we'll have a problem. Now get up here Ella." She said from the small stage. She sighed putting her hands in her pockets. "Why?" She asked curiously as she stepped onto the stage.

"I want you to talk about you father since today we're celebrating our soldiers." She announced. Ella tensed "No." She said coldly. The teacher frowned "Oh come on please." She pleaded. Ella chuckled angrily "Did you seriously think I was going to talk about my father who disappeared six and a half months ago?" She asked walking off the stage slowly. "I'll give you an A." She added. Ella stopped in her tracks with her foot about to step off the stage. She was making a F in this class now and a A would seriously help her.

Ella bit her lip. "Fine." She growled and stepped over to where the microphone was. She bit the inside of her lip. She never talked about her father. Ever.

"Um he was really nice and uh he got deployed for four months then when I got kidnapped he disappeared and well maybe he went back to the army I don't know." She summed up her sadness in one sentence then rubbed her arm shakily and looked at the teacher to see if she could go back down. The teacher smiled and told her she could.

Ella stepped off the stage almost crying. She bit her lip from doing so. "Now I'll explain more about our soldiers-" Ella zoned out after that. Her head shot up as she heard her name coming from the gym doors. She looked over to see the principle glaring at her fakely. "Ella come on we need to talk." Oh great what did she do this time?


	8. Chapter 8

**hey everyone! Hope you enjoy the story. I love you all here's a blue cookie for ya. ;) (::)**

Ella walked over to the princible shyly. She groaned as she thought about all that she might have done to get in trouble. Oh man, her aunt was going to be mad at her. She sighed as the princible walked out the door motioning for her to follow.

" your father is going to be angry." He stated as he continued to walk. "I don't think he'll be to mad." She said coldly. She had faked her signature in most classes telling them she lived with her dad. Well except for some like the one she was just in because the teacher obviously knew.

He shrugged "I don't know, Ella I think he will be. A man is in the office looking for you." He told her as they continued to walk closer to the office. She bit her lip "Wait who is it?" She asked. "He said not to tell you." He said opening the door of the office for her.

She walked in and looked over to see a tall man dressed in a red and white top with some jeans and a sports hat on. She looked at him with curiousity.

"Um are you the one who wanted to see me?" She asked him. He nodded while smiling. "I checked you out so come outside and i'll explain." He said taking her shoulder and guiding her out the doors. She moved her shoulder so he no longer touched her.

One thing that had changed was that she no longer trusted most men. She didn't like any man to touch her or pretend they cared. It was all fake to her.

He looked at her once they came outside. He looked down at her because of him being taller than her by- well a lot. He cleared his voice then spoke. "Ella Olympia you are choosen from the school to throw the first pitch at the (Insert favorite team here) game tonight. And, well I need to get you to the stadium." He said wearing a smirk like he knew something she didn't.

"U-Um did you tell my aunt about this?" She asked and almost immediatly he answered saying "Oh yes, She knows and will be seated in the first row."

She nodded "Fine i'll throw it." She said rubbing her arm slightly trying not to be intimidated by him. He nodded smiling widely.

A hour later she had made it to the stadium and a crew of people were dressing her in sports fan clothing and doing her hair and makeup. Which she said just to do a natural look for her and make slight waves in her hair. And, they did just that.

She looked in the mirror and smiled wildly. Something she hadn't done for a while. She was dressed in a blue team shirt and dark blue jeans. Her long black hair had natural waves in it along with her face looking stunning even with the naturalness.

She followed the people as the guided her out onto the large field. She heard the crowd applause at her entrance. She sighed, she hoped she didn't embarrass herself out here. She gulped slightly as she stood on the pitchers mound and looked at the catcher. He looked familiar even though she couldn't see his face.

Thye announced she could throw the ball and they handed her a baseball in her hand. She bit her lip and swung her arm back and shot the ball at the catcher. A perfect throw. She smiled at herself and laughed slightly as the crowd applauded her.

She looked over and made eye contact with her aunt. She smiled at her and pointed beside her. Ella turned confused not understanding and shrugged walking off the mound as people surrounded her taking pictures and asking her questions. She stood up strait as she heard a voice call out her name. And, out of the tons of people saying her name she heard that one. She turned all the way around slowly and looked at the catcher who was now standing up staring at her.

She looked at him curiously. "Ella come here." He said loudly so she could hear him. She started towards him tilting her head. Once she was halfway to him he lifted the mask off his face so she could see who he was. "Daddy." She whispered. She sunk to her knees holding her head in her hands crying. She stood up quickly though and ran to him and embraced him.

She embraced a person she thought was gone forever. A person she thought forgot about her. A person that she thought was dead. Her father. Her dad. Her daddy. He was here. He was the catcher! This was the greatest set up of all time!

He hugged her tightly and spun her around in his arms and kissed the top of her head. She sobbed into his shirt happily as they sunk to the ground holding each other. She cried as she shut her eyes tightly hugging him back despretly. She had to know this was real. That she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't.

He put his hand under her chin lifting her head up to look at him. She opened her eyes still crying happily. "Ella i'm sorry that I broke my promise and i'm sorry that I left you like this. But, I promise and I will never break it this promise, I will never leave you alone. Ever." He told her strongly. She nodded frantically as he continued to hold her chin. She looked at him and let a sob escape her lips. "I thought you were dead and forgot about me." She choked out as he let her chin go and she rested her head on his chest again. He rubbed her back resting his head on hers. "I never forgot about you Ella." He whispered to her.

She finally started breathing normally as she kept hugging him tightly. She forgot her surroundings and every thought she had. She was fully focused on him not caring about anything else. She didn't notice the crowd applaiding loudly or the news camera pointed at her and her father. She kept her eyes closed tightly. She didn't want her eyes to betray her and tell her this was a joke or some fake dream.

She held onto him as he picked her up. Yeah, she wasn't the tallest in the orld but to be fair he was pretty tall. She was about 5'1 and he was more like 6'6. So that left a good amount of space. So he could pick her up without her legs touching the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he walked them ot of the stadium. The news reporters followed them but he ignored them and slipped them both into the back of the car while he waited for her aunt to come.

Ella looked up at him with healing eyes. She curled up next to him resting her head on his chest. He ran his hand on top if her head down to her back smiling at her. "Ella are you okay?" He asked sounding worried about her slightly. She tuened her head so she was looking at him. "I love you." She sniffled hugging him. Which took him back slightly but he quickly recovered and hugged her back. "I love you too." He whispered into her shoulder as he hugged her.

But this moment in Ella's life didn't bring her closer to her father as much as another day. Oh sure this mometn brought the two about a million miles closer but you only know how much you love someone when their almost taken away from you.

The moment was a few months after Ella saw her dad after those six months. It started off like any other day. Well sort of. Ella was going to go with her dad to his work because she was sick and he didn't want her staying only by herself. She had gotten ready and was waiting in the living room for her dad.

Ella coughed into her sleeve groggily. She looked up as she saw her dad walk into the room. He looked at her worried as he helped her out of the house. She allowed him to help her seeing as she felt like falling over. She slipped into the black car that she had come to love.

She put her elbow on the door and held her head. Her eyes fluttered closed and opened every so often and finally she closed her eyes completely. She wasn't really asleep as she was listening to the road silently. Her eyes shot open though after a few minutes.

The last thing Ella remembered of her being "In" The car was seeing a red flash and loud crash then a white color shooting towards her. She was knocked out briefly. She then remebered opening her eyes to see an ambulance coming down the street. She turned her head. She wasn't in the car anymore. She turned her neck and winced slightly as she tried to find her father. She tried calling his name but her voice wouldn't work. Ugh.

She carefully moved her arms so they were beneath her and tried to limply push herself. She opened her mouth in a silently scream. She turned and saw a red car that she hadn't noticed before. Oh the inory. The red car was on top of her legs. She focused her eyes on the car. She could see a child in the back of the car shaking her arms screaming. She locked eyes with the child. She whined and screamed out. The car didn't tip completely though it was on its side making the child sit sideways.

Ella gathered all her power and spoke. "Sir?" She stated looking at the man who was in the front seat staring wide eyed in front of him hardly breathing. He shakily turned his head and looked at her as the ambulance parked beside them. He had a long gash down his head but he didn't seam to be worried about himself.

Her eyes met what he was staring at. She couldn't see completely what he saw but she saw blood. A lot of blood coming from the car she was in. She screamed out trying to get to the car but everytime she tried she screamed out in pain.

A minutes later she was on a gurney frantically looking around which was hard because her neck was in a brace. "Where is he?" She croaked but no one was listening to her as they loaded her into the ambulance. "Where is he!" She nearly screamed out. A nurse turned to her and her gaze softened.

"Honey please calm down we're trying to get you to the hosptital before you lose too much blood." She spoke soothingly as they closed the ambulance doors and took the brace off her neck making sure her neck was fine. "Where is he?" She cried gasping for air as she tried not to cry.

She then remembered passing out and not waking up until an hour later with no one in her room and her legs bandaged up. She saw the clip board on her bed saying scheduled for surgery at seven -Dr. Rose.

Ella took a sharp breath and turned herself sideways with a silent scream. Ella sat on the edge of the bed pain fully and reached over and grabbed some crutches. She quickly tested which leg was better. Definately the right leg. She took a stand on the right legs and held the left leg up and hobbled out of the room.


End file.
